CINCINNATI – After last night’s 9-5 loss to the Reds, Al Leiter didn’t use his sore throat from earlier in the week as an excuse. He did, though, basically admit that his performance was sick.

“It just happened so fast,” said Leiter, referring mostly to a six-run second inning.

Leiter’s three innings in which he gave up eight earned runs matched a career high. The ace of the Mets’ staff, who had pitched well up until last night, dropped to 0-3. His team is 6-10 and in last place in the NL East.

“He just didn’t have command tonight,” Bobby Valentine said.

Barry Larkin commanded this game. Larkin is apparently of the philosophy: If you don’t want to join them, beat them.

Last July, Larkin turned down a trade to the Mets. If he had showed up, maybe, just maybe, he is in there and knocks down Luis Sojo’s grounder in the Game 5 of the World Series. Maybe he is the difference between being the best and second-best team in New York and the world.

“I think about what might have been if the Mets had given me a three-year deal,” said Larkin, citing not wanting to move his children as the reason he said no.

Larkin looks as if he will finish his tremendous career here. A career that had featured 6,734 at-bats without a grand slam before he faced Leiter with two runs already in and the bases loaded in the second. When Larkin drove the ball over the left field wall, his arms rose above his head as if he were taking off an emotional jacket. He looked over and pointed at the dugout and then rounded first by pumping both his fists.

Leiter – who had only walked one batter and had not hit anyone in his first three starts – nailed Sean Casey’s right shoulder to lead off the second. After ex-Met Alex Ochoa knocked a legitimate single to left, Leiter hit Aaron Boone on the right knee to load the bases.

Single runs came home as Pokey Reese smacked a solid single to center and Jason LaRue rapped another to left before Larkin connected.

The lone good news for the Mets was that their struggling offense put up nine hits, including a couple of doubles from Edgardo Alfonzo.